


Blue and Orange

by SplatSplat (SplatSplatB)



Category: Splatoon
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-06 05:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15879684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SplatSplatB/pseuds/SplatSplat
Summary: A new inkling, a new city, and a new friend. Two inklings create a bond, which they use carve, chip, and climb their way into X Rank. However, life just sometimes just get in the way. That why you get new "friends" right? I am not taking credit to any of these created characters, or their environments. Inkling Boy x Inkling Girl





	1. Deca to Square

Chapter One: Deca to Square

As the sun threw down its heat on the surfaces of Inkopolis Square, an inkling looks in awe as Inkopolis Square oozes its charm and culture. The billboards were big and bright, the lights were vivid and colorful, and the smell of the air was pure and nice. This blue tentacled inkling continued to track his eyes from the Battle Lobby, all the way to the top of the Deca Tower. He had never been in Inkopolis Square before, now, he finally dives into a dream he has had. The blue inkling finally has a chance to fight in Turf War.

He begins to walk towards the Battle Lobby, however, his day couldn't had gone better. Marie, the grey-tentacled pop-star he adored so much. However, she was seen giving a bottle to some random inkling. He was planning to get an autograph, till he saw Marie being busy talking and having a long and fun conversation with the inkling. However, only a few minutes later, just entering the Battle Lobby floor, he hears Marie laughing maniacally. His image of Marie changed.

"Marie kind is sometimes seen doing weird things like that," another inkling whispered to the blue short tentacled male.

"Oh, sorry, anyways," the girl continued, "oh my name is Shell."

"Clam," the boy answered back, taken back that friendliness has already come to him.

"Rumors say that she's dating that inkling," Shell added, "I don't know if I believe it or not. And why him? I know he's all good and all in Ranked, but why him? What is so special with him? I would honestly die to date the guy she used to date."

"I don't know him," Clam responded back.

"I do not blame you, besides, for all we know he's her producer or something," Shell laughed, "and it kind of looks bad in our part that we use the wonders of our squidphones just to spread rumors."

Clam nodded, but grew a slight sense of jealousy inside, "But if it is some random inkling, he better have been the reason why Callie came back or something like that."

Shell looked at Clam's gear and saw that he was not looking as fresh as her, "You new?"

"Yeah, just got here," Clam responded.

Then all of a sudden, Marie began laughing louder and louder. Clam and Shell looked at each other, sharing a moment of confusion. The two heard murmurs and tried listen in, however, did not catch a single world till Marie turned around to head away from the lobby.

"I'll climb to X. For you Marie," the two heard.

Clam was impressed. He thought that if that inkling must be really good at Ranked, especially the fact that this inkling was pronouncing that he'll get to X, not S+, not S. Marie, then, was seen walking away from the area.

"That guy must be really good then," Shell commented, echoing Clam's thoughts.

Clam nodded, then all of a sudden, Shell grabbed his wrists, "Well we aren't getting to his level by standing here, come on!"

While Clam was being dragged across the square, he tried shouting through the noise his dragging feet made, "Shell! I haven't even been in a turf war!"

"We'll change that!" Shell responded before stopping in front of the Battle Lobby door.

The door opened and Clam stood in front of the open doorway, "Get in a game, I'll join you!"

Shell quickly pushed Clam into the room and she quickly stepped inside the room with her. Clam panicked and quickly picked a mode, luckily, it was Regular Battle. He was placed in a waiting room, while Shell joined him. After eight players were collected, they were transported to the stage.

"Why does this place look like a camp or something" Clam nervously asked, turning humanoid in his spawn pad.

"Welcome to Triggerfish!" Shell winked before the start of the Turf War started.

Clam jogged forward with the others, he was too nervous to fire a single shot from his Splattershot Jr.

"Come on Clam, ink the ground," Shell requested while she was rolling her Carbon Roller.

Finally Clam pulled the trigger and ink sprayed out of the Splattershot Jr. He scored a few points before his inking slowed down. Swiftly, he learned. Clam swam through Shell's ink and caught up to her, closing their distance. The two other teammates flanked through the left, activating the Inkrail. Clam was amazed as he saw Shell jump in the air and fling a line of ink. His and Shell's blue covered the other side, covering the orange over the gap. The other teammates made their way and hooked through the walkways and stood their ground. At the other side, an enemy inkling emerged from the puddle of orange that Shell missed. It's silver tube fired orange ink at an impressive rate, which Shell guessed was an Aerospray. She elegantly turned thirty degrees to the left and flung another line of ink. In a blink, the Aerospray was inked and was sent back to its spawn. Clam took the opportunity and throwing a bomb he did not even know he had and covered deeper into the other side.

"Oh carp," Shell whispered, which Clam caught, "they're at our side!"

Clam noticed showers of orange becoming closer to him, which he tried to avoid. However, his blue tentacles were spotted with orange spots, and he took damage. Shell turned around and morphed into a squid. She saw a line of missed blue ink and took it to close the gap between the flanking orange inklings. A Blaster did not notice the trail that Shell made, rushing through the ink, which Shell took the opportunity to swiftly ink the orange inkling. However, an orange inkling with a Slosher emerged behind Shell. Clam caught the inkling and hastily inked the Slosher, saving Shell.

The two inklings were sent back to spawn. Shell turned around and smiled proudly, seeing Clam having fun and rapidly learning. Till irony came and a Splat Bomb rolled behind Clam, which he did not notice. Clam was swiftly taken back to spawn.

For the rest of the game, the two teammates flanked, while Clam and Shell made their way controlling the center. The surprise attack from the back happened again, which Clam and Shell swiftly took out. Then, without the teams realizing, the game ended. Clam and Shell were taken back to the Battle Lobby room and saw Judd calculating the amount of ink each team covered. Then, celebration came, 48.1% to 45.7%. Clam celebrated till he saw player results, his 634p of ink was nothing to brag about, which he noticed and quickly shut himself.

"Good job Clam, first win," Shell smiled.

"It was kind of all you, you had more than 1000p of ink on the ground!" Clam responded.

"But you learned a lot, you won, while you can't get worse!" Shell explained her happiness, "I'll teach you either way anyways."

Clam turned his head to player lists which was quickly taken away, so he turned to Shell to answer his question, "What level are you anyways?"

Shell scratched her two large tentacles, "That doesn't matter..."

"Please tell me," Clam begged.

"Twentyfour" Shell rushed.

"Twenty-four, impressive, at least from where I'm from," Clam joked.

Shell joked, shaking off excess ink to not show her cheeks, "Thank you Clam, I'm still climbing though."

The Battle Lobby door finally opened, which is when all the eight inklings exited.

Clam and Shell continued to laugh about the game, with Shell explaining the rules and weapons in between each topic. The pair quickly grew a bond, joking about each and every mistake each made. Then, a connection was made.

"So um...wanna go again?" Clam offered.

"Yes, but first, we are getting you fresher gear," Shell laughed before dragging Clam again through the stores.

He came out looking different, with a new pair of shoes, a new sweater, and a nice hat.

"You look really slick there mister 'I do not want to play Turf War because I never played it'," Shell joked, "I am just kidding, you look really fresh."

"Thank you Shell, however, I think I'll need to get used to this," Clam responded, looking at his new gear.

"Eh you know how you can get used to it sooner," Shell asked.

Clam, not knowing better, asked how, "Go tell."

"To the Battle Lobby!" Shell self-celebrated the bait before dragging Clam back to the Battle Lobby, "you gotta sweat and beg for air till you're done with me."

The pair continued playing Turf War, luckily and skillfully swimming through every win. For an entire afternoon they won so many games, but never lost some. Clam began to wonder how he will learn from his mistakes if he is just going to be mentored by Shell. More curiously though, why was she so fond of him? Why would a level twenty-four-now twenty-five-be so happy with playing with a complete newbie. Clam continued to wonder through the games, however, he just appreciates he has someone to play with, and not having a second feeling lonely.


	2. Cut Me Some Slack

Chapter Two: Cut Me Some Slack

The sun bared down on the culture saturated center of Inkopolis, where two inklings laugh and joked about their recent memories. The two inklings hide underneath the roof of the Battle Lobby, making them worry about anything else other than the sun. Clam and Shell realize each other's potential and accepts every single challenge they face. As Shell masters her skills with the Carbon Roller, Clam tries to find his niche in the hopes of becoming better. He is still not Level Five however, he is close. A few more games, and he is able to reach out to a new web of weapons.

"More games," Shell pushed through her gasping, "you need to unlock those weapons."

"Yeah, Sheldon probably wont be convinced by my low amounts of charisma," Clam responded before taking a sip and returning back to talking, "so honest grind it is."

Shell laughed before sipping, which brought a thought, "Yeah who makes these things, these cups have like a bendy straw but like...not?"

Clam disconnected his lips from the cup and looked at it, "Weird...like yeah put a forty-five degree on the straw, but like…make it solid. We can make phones that communicate with the air, but not a straw that can move more..."

"They're weird, but whatever," Shell ended her thought before returning to gulping down her sports drink.

"So, anyways, tell me about yourself, we actually never talked about each other," Clam attempted to start a new conversation, which was successful.

"Well, to start on something relevant, I just got here a few months ago," Shell said before settling down to prepare for a long story, "I make a living playing Turf War and Ranked, so there's that."

"A few months? But you're Level Twenty-five," Clam commented.

Shell's facial features squished towards the center, showing a face that felt insulted but also felt that the comment was funny, "Haha, well when I first moved here I didn't take these battles seriously and only did them for fun. Now I take these battles much more seriously, which means that I am able to make a living out of it."

"Interesting, so um...what rank are you in Ranked?" Clam asked, trying to sound more calm and unoffending.

Shell quickly pulled her phone out and checked, "Well on everything except Rainmaker I am A-. On Rainmaker I can't really find a way to be effective as a Carbon Roller, so I'm sitting at a B+."

Clam nodded his head, finding out a few more details about Shell, "Wanna know what rank I am?"

"Yeah what rank are you Clam?" Shell asked, which promoted a moment of silence before realizing her mistake, "wait you're Level Fo- never mind."

Clam laughed at the ordeal while Shell turns away with her familiar push-to-the-center offended look. However, she could not help but laugh at her moment of stupidity before giggling, catching Clam's attention.

"Awe you thought it was funny," Clam smiled, "come on bring out that laugh."

Shell resisted, but it was in vain as she turned back forward and began letting out her natural laugh, "You got me there slick."

"I did, so much for a Level Twenty-five," Clam whispered before being lightly punched in the right shoulder by Shell.

"I'll kick your sorry butt if you act all smug," Shell joked before taking another sip from her drink, "besides, I already carry you in Turf War."

"Watch," Clam warned, "in the future I will be the next big person in Turf War and Ranked, and even have my own Splatfest or something."

Shell laughed at Clam's innocent remarks, "Good luck kid, you'll need a lot of it. You and your low rarity gear and everything."

"Hey, I'm quickly improving, just keep watching," Clam retaliated playfully.

Shell shook her head before finding a comment that Clam will not process, "Alright, text or call me when you get the Golden Toothpick that I have."

"How do you get it?" Clam asked in a tone of a young boy discovering a new thing.

"Of course you don't know," Shell laughed before placing a hand on Clam's shoulder, "you'll figure it out. It takes some skill to get it, so once you get it, I'll be impressed."

"I'll find a few more ways to impress you other than that," Clam naively added.

Shell heard the comment as a flirt and began blushing her cheeks off, which the innocent Clam took note of, "So um...why are your cheeks red, is something wrong?"

"Nothing!" Shell quickly responded before turning away and drinking her cold drink in an attempt to flush out the redness.

Clam shrugged before returning to his drink, turning away to find something moving to occupy his mind. Then, Off the Hook caught his mind, which prompted a reaction in his mind to ask the forbidden question.

"So what's Off the Hook exactly," Clam unwittingly offended every inkling and octoling in a three hundred kilometer radius.

Shell stopped sipping before slowly turning her head towards Clam, "Excuse me, may you repeat your question. One. More. Time?"

Clam innocently turned back to Shell, "What's Off the Hook?"

Shell's mouth dropped, but she quickly picked the jaw right back from the center of the Earth, "First, you asked "what" is Off the Hook, not even "who's" Off the Hook. Second, you need to culture yourself! Third, I thought you were much better than this Clam."

Clam panicked, dropped his drink, and placed both of his hands in front of him and showed his palms in a defensive manner, "I honestly do not know I just-"

"Listen here Clam," Shell continued as her shadow seemingly overshadowed Clam's, "are you willing to learn about the basics of inkling culture? Actually-pause right there-before we start, who are the Squid Sisters?"

"Callie and Marie," Clam answered in a dash.

"Then, how did you not know about Off the Hook," Shell asked in a less than suitable tone.

Clam started to feel like every pair of eyes were on him, he even swears that Crusty Sean is staring into the deep depths known as his ignorance, "I honestly don't know..."

Shell sighed with her head down, showing an ounce of disappointment, "You may learn really fast in Turf War, but I do not know if you are going to survive in the real world."

Clam gulped before responding sincerely, "I honestly am sorry, I am really obtuse with these types of things. However, cut me some slack, I'm new to the whole culture."

Then Shell comes to a suspicious fact, she begins to stand up and looks down on Clam. She proceeded to take ahold of the hat she encourage him to buy before pulling it upwards, launching the head-wear into the sky. Her suspicion of Clam being an octoling was closed, as no suction cup was to be found. Even so, she thought that she would've noticed the suction cups as she was present in Clam trying out every piece of head-wear available.

"How are you behind in so much inkling culture," Shell asked in a solemn way.

Clam looked down and sighed, "just, I-I do not want to talk about it."

Shell instantly grew concerned, thinking that Clam may have more stories than meets the eye. His naive but open-armed personality may have a reason, however, Shell thinks that it is not her business. For now at least…

"Anyways, I'll make sure you are completely comfortable in this environment," Shell announced while waving her hand to represent a bigger scope of Inkopolis, "I will be your mentor, your guidance, and most importantly...your friend."

Clam looked up to see Shell grab one of his hands and holds it in front of the both of them, her smile was more comforting and embracing than he remembered. Shell gave a sincere smile that showed a deep understanding of what may be below Clam's empty understanding on inkling life. To his surprise, she quickly pulled him up and embraced him, which he unquestionably accepted and tightly envelop the only friend he currently has.

"Clam," Shell whispered, "I will always be here for you, no matter what."

Clam did not understand why Shell would care so much. From pulling him into his first Turf War, to hugging him in front of many inklings, he was dumbfounded. He began to wonder if he was some sort of special inkling, and he did not know, only for Shell to be the only one to have that key to said specialty. However, he did not care, he found comfort in another one's arms and loved every second of it. He felt comfortable, speechless but soaked with kindness, however, it could not distract him from his unfortunate circumstances that he does not show.

"Let's go back to Turf War," Shell whispered, "what do ya say?"

"That would be great, I need something to get myself pumping," Clam responded, only to be pulled back behind the great doors of the Battle Lobby.

Although he was shocked, he did not find a single piece of a remorseful action or face from Shell, she bluntly smiled and laughed, "You said you wanted to go, so let's go!"

* * *

_One small announcement. I am heavily considering increasing the length of each chapter to two times its normal length. This is in the hopes of trading daily uploads for higher quality, more deep and vivid stories, and a lower chance of a typo slipping through editing. I hope you, as the reader, understands any route I decide to take. Thank you for reading, more chapters are coming right up for your satisfaction!_


	3. So it Came Back

Chapter Three: So it Came Back

"Clam," Shell whispered in Clam's ear, poking him in the arm, "Clam!"

Clam did not budge or move, "Clam!"

"So that's what it feels to lose," Clam whispered, staring at the floor of the Battle Lobby.

Shell became increasingly concerned, "Clam, you okay..."

"It's just...I've never felt it before, I just," Clam responded, not finding words that suits his feelings.

Shell sighed, finding what Clam feels, "You know, Turf War is never about winning, it's about learning and finding new tec-"

"Let's keep going!" Clam suddenly jumped in excitement.

"Wait huh?" Shell was blown out of her concentration.

"Well we aren't gonna get me to Level Five by being sad about losing, we gotta go again," Clam announced before being pulled by Shell.

Shell sighed before responding, "I need to talk to you for a second. I have to make sure you do not get lost!"

The door opened and Clam looked at Shell with a confused look, "What are we doing."

Clam and Shell stepped outside the Battle Lobby, which meant that the pair can't really have another Turf War till both agree on it.

"What's your number," Shell asked in a more than demanding tone.

"Huh?" Clam was taken back, having a girl asking for his number.

Shell giggled and shook her head, "Well I have to make sure that we always have contact with each other!"

Clam obliged and exchanged numbers. The two shared a moment of disconnection of their environment, forgetting that they were in a public place. Each to their own, and the two tried to innocently keep their numbers without any funny ideas. However, funny ideas did become reality.

"Well, he's oblivious, so I don't think it'll hurt us that much," Shell thought to herself.

"I'm not oblivious," Clam responded.

"What, huh!?" Shell lit up red, her hands covered her cheeks, "how did you know!?"

"I didn't, but you just told me," Clam smiled, "don't worry, we're on the same boat."

Shell could not find any words, she knows that he knows what she is doing. The complicated mess became even more obscure, as Clam smile and winked at her.

"Do you like me?" Shell asked in a panic.

Clam began opening on himself, showing his more and mature side, "Unless I have a really good reason to like a girl I met only a few hours ago, I can't really say 'I like you without reason' it just sounds too messy. Like I feel like we actually have to make sure that we work out, you know?"

Shell scratched her head, shaking her tentacles quite a bit. Clam, not knowing how to follow up, decided to enter his nervous pose and ran his fingers through is water-drop-like tentacles on the front of his head. Shell, grew even more red and turned around, stomping and catching the attention of the less attentive inklings and octolings.

"Let's get you to Level Five," Shell announced as the Battle Lobby door opens.

Clam giggled before shoving his hands into his pockets, "Well, that ain't gonna make what you just said disappear. I know you like me!"

Shell immediately turns around and crosses her arms, "So what? I just wanted to play a game of Turf War that's all!"

Clam smiled slyly, "Fine, I'll be out here and waiting when you're done."

Shell saw Clam calmly sit outside the Battle Lobby, almost entirely outside the range of the roof. Clam just smiled, as if he was watching her intensely. Shell, knowing what he is trying to do, tries to confidently walk in and pick a game of Turf War. Unfortunately, she cannot join up, she has to have Clam with her. So she grudgingly stomps out of the Battle Lobby, catching the eyes of the resting players, and approaches Clam as he continues to smiles with mischievous intent.

"So, what's up," Shell asked standing beside the victorious inkling she begrudgingly liked.

Clam turns towards her, more in a sincere tone, "So why do you like me? Why don't you like me as a friend? Just a curios question..."

Shell has to produce an answer, Clam already claimed two victories and she has to pay up. However, she doesn't have an answer. She approaches the idea of her and just her random feelings, but that can't be it. Shell thought about it for more than a moment, leading to nowhere.

"I think that is a bad sign," Clam said breaking her line of thought, "if you don't have a reason why you like me, then...we probably shouldn't."

Shell could tell that something is clearly wrong, a past had been dug up when it was not supposed to, "Is everything alright Clam?"

"No, not really," he admitted, beginning to let out a few tears of clear but sour sadness.

Shell began to approach him with her hand, only for Clam to pull away, not wanting her touch. Pain was a clear aura that surrounded the two, however, the situation felt inclosed. For Shell, it felt like she had punctured a can, only for a can to seep out liquid that was only meant to be extracted at the right time. She thought to herself that she had just unknowingly opened what was not meant to open.

Clam slowly walked across the square, approaching a free seat in front of Crusty Sean's truck. Even from a distance, she saw sorrow and pain. Clam began to rest his head on the table, covering the sides of his head with his arms. He did not move, nor did he look back. Shell knew that her next approach could make the situation worse, however, she took the leap of faith. She began walking over to the table and sat across from Clam. Clam was still releasing tears from his eyes, still swimming in his own pool of pain and suffering.

"Clam, I'm sorry, what did I do wrong..." Shell whispered, "I can leave if you want me to, I'll just head o-"

"No," Clam suddenly commanded, lifting his head and clearing his face of tears.

Shell was taken back, however, she did not deny his request. She sat back down and continued to look at Clam. His innocent look did not allow for a thought of him being this distraught. However, it happened anyways, and Clam made the seemingly impossible, possible.

"I need to explain a few things," Clam said, whimpering and sniffling here and there, "so please, stay and listen...I do not want you to leave thinking something else other than the truth."

Shell slowly took one of his hands and gave him a sincere and worried look, an indicator for him to start talking, and that she will listen.

"First," Clam started, "it's not our fault, if anything it's mine."

Clam continued immediately, knowing Shell would not believe his statement, "I need to spill some things before you could believe me, so, I need to tell you a story. I'm going to need to trust a girl I just met a few hours ago, so trust is going to be a sensitive thing for me, so please, do not break it."

"I wont," Shell responded, "I'll listen."

"It all started back when Inkopolis Plaza was the thing," Clam explained, "I lied about not playing Turf War. I was experienced, I just, lost my handle on Turf War that's all. I remember playing Turf War extensively, however, I lost track of my abilities...well...I have a good reason for that though, I think."

Clam sniffled, before continuing the painful path of the past, "I remember being new to Inkopolis, arriving and not knowing anything. But, there was someone there for me. There was a girl, who just approached me and asked if I wanted to play Turf War. I accepted since it was an opportunity to meet and befriend someone. In less than a few hours we became the closest friends that Inkopolis had seen. We were in sink, even our friendship became an advantage, Turf War became easier when a pair of inklings knew exactly what the other was thinking and doing. Anyways, since we were young, or something like that, we started liking each other. We were each other's firsts, first boyfriend, first girlfriend, first kiss. We had each other's numbers and away we went. I don't even remember her name, she said that even she doesn't remember her name. However, we would text and call till we pass out, only to return to inking turf again the next day. This went on for a year, till, she vanished. We planned joining in Splatfest's naughty or nice. We both expressed how we both wanted to be nice, however, she did not join me in pledging my allegiance. I waited that day, hoping her phone just died or something, but she never came back. After several Splatfests together, she missed for the first time. Then the second time, then the third time, then...I gave up."

At this point, Clam broke every single wall in his mind and let everything out. He had leaped for Shell, hoping to find comfort, which is what he received. Shell kept holding, intrigued by Clam's past.

Clam continued, "She never came back. No call, no text, no nothing. Then, the last Splatfests rolled around, and the culture of Inkling came. Everything and everyone moved to Inkopolis Square. I chose to stay. I was too attached to the girl that I once loved and cared for. But she left, she left me for what? It better have been something important! She left me, and she was the only one I had! She was my world, my everything, my...she was mine... Only for her to leave... I haven't seen her since... Only recently did I try forgetting about her, and for about half a year, I finally let go. Not entirely, but, enough for me to move here. I hoped to maybe to start a new life...a new beginning. But someone had to roll around and mirror how us two met. Shell, you made me attached to you, I-I...hope you wont leave me. You wont leave me...right?"

Shell, horrifyingly, could not give an answer.


	4. Clam Down

Chapter Four: Clam Down

"Shell," a feint voice calls.

"Shell!" the calls grew louder.

"SHELL!" loudness grew to shouting.

Then finally, Clam had to take it up a notch, he stood up, placed both of his hands on each side of her, and shook. Only then, did Shell return back to the real world.

"You okay there Shell?" Clam asked in a concerned way, "you looked so out of it and it took like seventeen calls to get you to come back."

Shell was left dumbfounded as she immediately turned her head to where the table was. Nothing changed, it was like no one had ever used it. A flood of possibilities rushed in her mind, calculating every moment with every other moment to find what happened.

"I uhh, I-I'm back," Shell stuttered back.

Clam swayed side to side to try and find any injuries that might have caused the sudden change in Shell. He checked every nook and cranny, even under her tentacles, giving Shell a slight blush, but no injury was to be found.

"Nope you're good," Clam confusingly whispered to himself.

Shell, still with her arms stuck to the side by Clam's hands, begins to wonder every single possibility to what had happened. She does not know herself as the one to lose her sense of reality in a daydream, nor is she known for daydreaming in the first place. Her memories flash back to every moment of the mind, trying to find why she thought the things she did. To her, her walking, Clam crying, all felt real. However, there was no tangible reason to believe so, the tables haven't moved, Clam is clearly fine, and she is still stuck in the moment of being teased by Clam. Moreover, the moment just snapped when the thought finally boiled down to her thinking about a choice. Her mind told her she had to chose whether to stay or not, and maybe that made her click that it was just her mind playing games on her. She remembers being able to vividly memorize every map and every position of a potential enemy in Turf War, so her mind is fully capable of creating such lifelike visions. For her however, it clicked. She leaned on the fact that maybe it was just her imagination, maybe, but she cannot be sure because the moment felt so real, so real that she even remembered how hot the table was to the touch.

"You didn't lose your mind to me did you," Clam teased, entering Shell's ear enough to register as a full sentence.

Shell reassured herself with the comment, to her, that suggested that the rich and sharp moment was just her mind. She was maybe consciously how that moment could've been. Her thoughts clicked even more, maybe those are her thoughts on Clam. Maybe, she thought that Clam is fragile or had a bad history, seeing how he first reacted to his first loss. However, Shell could not fully reassure herself. She did however, took one more stab into reassurance, she dug deep into her pit of memories, only to find nothing relating to the moment that her mind played out, however, only to her knowledge.

Clam finally let go and let out a sigh, "You're much weirder than I expected."

"I think I just had the worst daydream in the world," Shell slowly let out, stretching her arms after being held tightly.

"Oh, could you tell me?" Clam asked, interested at the daydream that Shell tried to forget.

Shell sighed, not wanting to disappoint Clam after what she had imagined, "Well, let's just say you didn't look too pretty."

"Do I look pretty," Clam asked in a joking manner.

Shell couldn't help but blushed and weakly muttered, "You're handsome, but sure."

Clam squinted his eyes and smiled, "I knew it."

Shell, embarrassed, puts her hands up and puts a defensive stance, "Look it's just my opinion. You're quite handsome okay! Now leave it be..."

"Haha," Clam laughed before tearing up joyful beads, "gotcha again."

Clam continued to laugh while Shell turned around and crossed her arms. The moment that Shell experienced was forgotten into the wind, never to be brought up, never to be touched again.

Till the sun turned the sky red and yellow, the two continued, finally allowing Clam to test new weapons and techniques he has been collecting. However, he could not find his spot yet. He could not find a favorite, nor the most comfortable weapon to him, all weapons felt different, not better. To him, that was a good thing, that meant that he might be the master of all trades, not just one weapon and cause his team to lose because he could not use a different weapon. Shell was there through every moment, a few more loses here and there, but she was there when Clam won the games. She became impressed as Clam would sometimes surpass her in inked turf, and sometimes even kills. However, he had not passed her in both at the same time yet, more games need to be played for him to pass someone more experienced than him.

"I think that will be our last one for today," Shell announced, wiping off sweat from her forehead.

"Honestly though, as much as you think you smell, you really don't," Clam confidently spoke out.

"Thanks for the flattering comment there Clam," Shell responded with a slight blush, "however, a bath is more than to clean off the smell, it's also more for comfort for me."

Clam smiled before smiling to her, "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"I will, I promise," Shell said, almost interacting with her mind's visions again.

"I will see you tomorrow, same time as we met," Clam said before heading straight for his apartment, leaving Shell to turn the other way to find hers.

Upon arrival to the front of his apartment complex, he approached a small rectangular stub and held his phone near it. A nearby inkrail activated, which gave him a clear path to his floor. He morphed into a squid, and swam up the rail to his floor. Transforming back into an inkling form, he walked a long distance, as his room was at the end of the hallway. However, he passed the tenth room to his right, and looked at the eleventh to his right. He stood in front of it for quite a while, remembering a friend that used to live there. His mind played back memories of a long tentacled girl who would always meet him in Inkopolis Plaza. Before all the memories were played back, he shook his head, stopping the memories from entering the most hurtful part, the last memories of the friend. He turned back towards his room and continued walking past rooms, with a mix of unoccupied and occupied rooms. Finally, he arrived. The brown sturdy door was the most familiar door to him, a gateway to his home. He jumbled around his pocket to reach for a key, and opened the door.

The small apartment was welcoming and warm looking, almost to an orange and yellow color pallet. He turned around to face the carpeted floors and shiny grey-brown walls, only for his view to be cut off by the closing door he is guiding.

He checks his phone, which was still in his hand, expecting a message or a call. To his disappointment, nothing was shown, only the time, the time being for dinner. He double checks and opens his messages and a small list of family members were shown, below the names were the last messages sent or received. Upon scrolling down, he ended the list, which was clipped with the last message. The message was already read, the name was not present and only the number was shown. "I got pulled to something interesting, I'll see what it..." was the preview of the message. Clam dared not to open the rest of the messages, of fear of remembering deep and dark memories.

His meal was simple, but fulfilling, which means more time for sleep. Clam made his way to the bedroom, already having cleaned up his dishes, wishing to fall asleep soon. However, his mind still lingered on the last message and the particular apartment door he passed by. He sighed, not having full control of what his mind wants him to see, even when the bedroom door had finally closed. On a small table stood a stable lamp he had from the very beginning of moving, which he gladly turned on, allowing the bulb to glow a warm orange light. The table also contained a particular book he bought when he remembered days of exploring Inkopolis Plaza, a book that was very useful to him, however it was very short and very specific, only thirty-seven pages in length. He sat on the bed and picked up the book and looked intensively at the cover, that shined the orange of the lamp.

Clam, almost done, follows the title, reading the last detail he checked, "How to Use Killer Wail, the Kraken, and Other Specials More Effectively."


	5. New Day, New Friend

Chapter Five: New Day, New Friend

A night passed, and so did the moon, and up came the new sun. The sun blasted beams of light to every single window that is not covered by the shadow. This included Clam's, to which his surprise, he forgot to close the window. It meant that he may not follow his old habit of waking up till the afternoon, a habit he keeps telling himself he will break. As he turns his body to the right to sit up, he scratches his eyes lids and clears his vision, causing him to blink a few times before his eyes caught up with the clarity. His mirror world showed Shell finally done cooking her breakfast, wishing she could eat the blistering hot meal right away. As time went on, Shell had finally finished eating, while Clam finally pulled himself to make toast. More time flew by, Shell is done washing her dishes, while Clam is finally eating. Shell was left with more than enough hours till the afternoon, which sprang her mind to find a new activity to fill the gap.

Clam's phone rang while he was still scrolling through his old photos, the phone displayed "Shell" and shot him a dose of dopamine, "Hello Shell?"

"How are you Clam," Shell happily greeted, "how's your morning?"

"Slow, at least I woke up early this time," Clam answered before taking a bite onto his chocolate covered toast.

"At least?" Shell asked curiously, "did you just wake up?"

Clam swallowed, tilting the phone away as he chewed, before moving the phone closer when he is finally ready to talk, "Well, I mean...I'm eating breakfast right now..."

Shell chuckled before looking out her living room window to check on the weather, "The day looks good, sunny and everything, you wanna go out and hang out, you know, if you want to..."

"Yeah sure," Clam answered with no hesitation, "you have any ideas, since my mind is still stuck on my toast."

Shell's mind wondered off, collecting memories of the day before to find a potential activity to partake in. Her mind met with her memory collected their teasing, which almost dragged her mind back into the depths of daydreaming. As her mind waddled off and avoided the memory, she continued to flow through the other more memories that are saturated with information.

"Still nothing in my mind," Shell answered, still wondering in her mind to find out something that Clam may like.

Clam took a bite and swallowed, and tilted back the phone near his mouth, "I mean, we could just hang out at ea-"

"Each other's houses," Shell interrupted, "isn't that uh..."

Clam answered back with his response, "I don't think its weird. Besides I don't think we are going to do anything weird. Also, you could probably take me to the training grounds and teach me some stuff if that's weird."

Shell's light bulb lit up, "I think I got an idea, bring your weapons."

Shell hung up and Clam's mind turned on autopilot and caused him to look at the phone's screen. The screen was back at displaying his old photos, which brought him an unrelated thought.

"I don't know where she lives..." Clam whispered to himself before eating the rest of his toast.

Shell hung up, bringing her phone to her stomach level before stopping herself, "I didn't give him my address."

Clam pulled his weight and carried himself to the sink, where he cleaned his dishes. Shell proceeded to wash herself to make herself more presentable to her friend. However, Clam's arrive did not come when she expected, which made her complain to herself. She is odd, and forgetful, as she thought that she should've told Clam the time that she wanted him to arrive. It made it worse as Clam also took a bath as he did not want to embarrass himself, as it is his first time visiting a girl at her house. Shell groaned in her own boring atmosphere as she looked around her apartment, slowly slipping into a pit of boredom. She tried to escape the pit by exiting her room and walking around the outside of the apartment where rows of small shops and eating places rest across the road. As she looked around her hallway as she walked to the end of it, she finally remembers to text Clam her address. The notification reached Clam, however, he was still in the bathroom when the text arrived. When he finally came out his bathroom fresher than before, Shell had already explored the shops and found nothing new to her disappointment. Clam finally reads Shell's address as his towel was still collecting excess ink from his tentacles. He chuckled at the late text before starting to pack his backpack with all the equipment that Shell demanded. After checking that all taps are closed, he made his way to the door and locked the door behind him.

Shell listened to the Squid Sister's "Fresh Start" on repeat as she awaits the arrival of Clam. She began thinking about how Clam looks, which she admittedly found cute. His compact but able figure leads up to his head, which was soft, round and contained a particularly popular tentacle style. Clam's tentacles looked like giant beads of water, a bulb like shake on the base of his head as it thins out and points to the back. The tips of his tentacles darken, however, she is more than likely to see him brandish his favourite blue style. As the tentacles run down to the end, the blue darkens to a navy, which to her made him more attractive.

Clam, while walking to the train station through a complicated system of streets and walkways, making his way to the train station, he began to wonder Shell's appearance. Her orange wings swung in front of her ears, flung and bounced whenever she took a step. He found it adorable, as the tentacles looked like paddles swinging in the air. Shell's bright and always smiling face was one to cherish, to Clam at least.

As he arrives at the train station, he saw his planned train slow and stop to his station. He began to jog and caught the train before missing it became an inevitable. Clam sat at one of the closer seats to the doors, which gave him to check for any messages or notifications. He groaned at the notification, bringing him news that he just received his first bill to his apartment room. As he scanned through the numbers, he received a call from Shell.

"I feel like this happened before," Clam whispered to himself before answering, "Hey Shell."

"Hey Clam," Shell greeted, "Are you going to arrive in time?"

"Yeah I think I am," Clam answered before feeling intrusive, he began looking around the train to find it empty, giving him a silent call to have freedom to be as loud as he can, "I'll arrive in a quarter hour."

Shell groaned as she realized that she gave him a time to arrive, which may have been a reason for him to not have haste in his voice, "I need to fill my time up with something before you arrive."

"I see," Clam responded looking out the window over his own shoulder, "I mean, it feels like the train is moving faster than the other times I've used it, so..."

Shell smiled in the good news before looking around, "Well, I think I still need to find something today, I've exhausted all my options."

Clam continued to look out the window and saw the slow-moving image of Inkopolis Plaza. He smiles at the image of the large four-legged tower greeting his eyes with a sweet smile of the glossy but non-reflective paint. The large screens were still there, to his surprise, however, he wonders why the screens were still there.

"Clam," Shell called, "you still there."

"Uh," Clam responded, "I-uhhh-hm..."

"Geez you sounded like me yesterday," Shell commented to her mistake as her mind reminded her of her embarrassing moment.

"So, you think I'm cute," Clam asked unexpectedly, in a way to fire back at the comment.

"I uhh-" Shell responded, taken back, but she could not lie, "well, I-yeah, yes..."

"Knew it," Clam giggled and slapped his knee lightly.

"Well uh...I mean," Shell collected her lighter and happy memories, "didn't I say that yesterday or something."

Clam thought about it, however, came to a dead end, "I don't remember, oh well, at least now I can say that I know."

Shell exhaled and smiled as she found the lighthearted flirt which filled her waiting with something much better than she intended.

"You know," Shell started, "I kind of like it when you're teasing and all."

Clam smiled in a slight blush before returning to the call, "Good, because I have no intention to stop."

Shell blushed pink as she thought about the next few days of flirting and enjoying life with a genuinely fun inkling to be with. However, at the other end of the phone, Clam worries about the lie he gave her. He is more than experienced, he had participated in all the Squid Sister's Spaltfests, but he told her he is new to Turf War. Maybe Shell's plans were to train him to get better at weapons, but in reality, he just relied on the specials and subs more, which may have made him look like a newbie in the number of Turf Wars they both played together. Shell, had different intentions however...


	6. A Little Visit

Chapter Six: A Little Visit

"Finally you're here," Shell expressed her impatience, as Clam walked down the street, approaching her, waving at her.

Clam knocked his head down and smiled before responding, "Thanks for telling me what time I should be here."

As the two approached each other, Shell stood up to greet Clam, preparing her phone to open the inkrail. Finally, Clam and Shell were close enough to create a light conversation, without the worry of the wind carrying off their voices. Clam's backpack became obvious, which added up, as Shell remembers she told Clam to bring over his weapons.

"So how was your commute here," Shell asked before opening the inkrail.

Shell motioned Clam to go first, which he excepted. He swam his way up the rail and hopped out the end, shaking off excess ink, with Shell doing the same behind him.

"It was fun, I got to use a route I've never been through, so it's fun seeing things that I haven't seen before," Clam answered, moving to the side to let Shell through for her to lead him before continuing, "and I saw a few things I've seen before, but in a different perspective."

Shell smiled before taking the lead, making Clam instinctively follow her, "You haven't actually used that train route?"

Clam shrugged, "Well yeah, I'm more of a walker, so I guess maybe that's why."

Shell and Clam made half way through the hallway, before Shell responded, "Are you a city dweller, explorer?"

He chuckled, smiling, "Well kind of, I just like walking around Inkopolis. I'm not going to go on top of buildings or anything like that."

Shell fiddled with her pocket to find her key to get ready to open the door, "So how are you holding up?"

"Good so far at least," Clam responded as he watched Shell fiddle with her key loop, "What about you? How long have you've been here?"

When the two finally arrived in front of her room, with Shell unlocking her room's lock. As she pushed the door open, Shell then moved out of his way to give him the opportunity to enter the room first. Clam accepted the offer again, then proceeded to enter the room, taking off his shoes before laying a foot beyond the shoe rack. Shell then closed the door behind her, echoing Clam's actions.

"Well, as you can see, I can stand on my own," Shell answered with a hint of pride, "and I was born and raised here. But, I guess this time I'm living under my own sweat and blood."

Clam nodded, "Good to hear, seeing you perform in Turf, I don't doubt any of that."

Shell smiled before asking, in an appreciated way, "So what do you think?"

He looked around inspecting the house, catching every little detail, from the immediate entrance to a small humble bedroom, to the connected eating place and living room, "I quite like it."

"I'm glad," Shell responded before wrapping her earphones around her hand to make a compact bundle.

Clam inhaled the calm warm smell of the room, before adding a small detail, "Your apartment room is very similar to mine...and I quite like it."

Shell then proceeded to open her room, giving Clam an opportunity to to peak inside slightly more. The bed was made and a mute orange. The wall was covered in a humble warm coral color, which gave the room a serene and smooth atmosphere. On each side of the bed were two tables, both having small lamps on them. Clam gulped as he begins to feel like Shell's apartment is very similar to his'. Then all of a sudden, Shell peaked her head from the right side of the doorway, blocking Clam's view. Clam bounced a little, however, recovering swiftly, seeing Shell's tentacles adorably bouncing as she glanced around her apartment.

"So, you're not gonna get comfortable?" Shell asked, "you don't have to be all tense there Clam, just go sit down somewhere or something."

Clam nodded before making his way past the table and to the living room's bucket couch. He placed his backpack leaning on his left leg, as he looked to the right to see the two empty spots. Some ruffles and shuffles were heard in Shell's room. Only before then, Shell came out with a book, with the paper still white and solid.

"You said you were new to Turf War yesterday right?" Shell asked, as she approached Clam.

Shell held out the book, which reads "To The Battle Lobby!" Clam accepted the book in a sour way, exhaling while grabbing the book. Shell became concerned, as she sat beside Clam, who was reading the back of the book with no hint of interest.

"What's wrong," Shell asked, obviously concerned.

Clam sighed, wanting to pull some weight out of his shoulders, "I kind of lied about not play Turf, I have played Turf War back when Marie and Callie were doing the news."

Shell shrugged, "And?"

He swiftly turned to the right, "Wait you don't care?"

She smiled, "Honestly though, you kind of made it obvious, you learned way too quick."

Clam's concerned face went flat, "Oh, well then. I guess, never mind."

Shell chuckled before crossing her arms and legs, "That's kind of why I accepted your offer of coming over to my house! You are a lot more interesting than I meets the eye there slick."

Clam scratched the round part of his head that was void of tentacles, causing Shell to quickly pick up that he was confused, "Like, I don't know. I guess I know that you aren't just some new inkling in Inkopolis. I am going to take a wild shot and say you are more than that, and I guess I was right."

Shell smiled before grabbing a hold of Clam's hand, which prompted him to respond, "I was never a liar of any sorts, so I hope you under stand that I don't lie on a daily ba-"

"Oh shut up you dork," Shell teased, "I understand. And if I dig into you that may be too sensitive to dig up, then I wont. But, hey, even if I don't get to find out something new about you after today, I have you to talk to and turf with instead."

Clam smiled before tightening his grip on the hand the two interlaced, "What did you say about the whole flirting thing?"

Shell became slightly defensive, "What? Am I not allowed to appreciate the bigger things?"

He shrugged, "Alright fair enough. However, don't be surprised if I come looking for more than just flirting there."

She then turned her whole body to face Clam, with her left arm leaning on the head of the couch, and the right hand still holding Clam's hand, "Don't be surprised from this end either."

Clam squinted his eyes, admittedly confused on Shell's message, to which she promptly winked and smiled. Now, he finally knows what she meant.

"You're quite adorable, you know that right?" Clam asked in a flirtatious manner.

"Really mister "I am new to Turf War," how so?" Shell asked sarcastically and teasingly.

"You have found the balance of the kick-butt look to adorable sunshine look," Clam answered in a detailed manner, "that face says fighter but also says adorableness."

Shell then giggled, experiencing the words that Clam provided, "No one had ever said that to me."

"Had you ever given anyone a chance to tell you that?" Clam teased.

She then proceeded to wonder her mind of into the question, think how many inklings and octolings she let flirt with her. Her mind gave her a solid no, which came out of Shell's mouth as a half baked no.

"Well that explains everything," Clam took a shot before being playfully punched by Shell.

Clam then stopped giggling, reminding himself why he has a backpack leaning on his left leg, "So why did you want me to bring my weapons again?"

Shell shrugged, "Well, I just wanted to make sure that you don't really come expecting more than friendly talk."

Clam sighed, processing that he carried around his heavy backpack for nothing, "Well, thanks there Shell, I really appreciate the fact that you made me carry around this thing to your apartment room for nothing."

"Oh shut it," Shell said before standing up and walking towards the kitchen, "I know you'd do anything for me at this point. Honestly, male inklings are kind of predictable when they meet any female that hints at a slight fondness."

Clam chuckled, "You literally just said that you like it when I flirt today."

Shell shrugged, admitting defeat before shouting across the room, "You wanna leave for Turf War now?"

Clam stood up, with his backpack already connected to his back, "I was waiting."


	7. Wait

Chapter Seven: Wait

"Race you!" Shell shouted, exiting her apartment room.

Clam was left with his eyes expanded, as he sees Shell shrink relative to the door frame. He was left dumbfounded, then, his mind finally collected the words that Shell pressed through her mouth.

"Wait huh? What Awwww," Clam groaned as he saw Shell transform into a squid and travel down the ink rail.

Clam dashed through the room and closed the door behind him, trying to catch up to Shell. He sprinted across the hallway, slower than usual with the backpack carrying some weight. When Clam arrived at the other end of the hallway, he jumped into the rail and swam as fast as his body let him. Finally, he made it to the street, only for him to not see Shell anywhere.

"Boo!" a female voice said behind him, making Clam jump up.

"Holy carp, please don't" Clam pleaded not knowing the whos or whats.

"Gotcha!" Shell playfully pointed, "That's what you get for all of those times you tricked me into saying stuff!"

"Saying stuff?" Clam asked, "Also where did you come from."

"Behind the inkrail, all the spilled ink around the station is good enough to hide in!" Shell answered as Clam turned around with a tired and an annoyed face.

"That actually scared me..." Clam said in a miffed way.

Shell then placed her hands on her hips and bent back a little, she let out a small vocal chuckle, "I could tell you dork! You jumped higher than a squid jump!"

Clam shook his head, "What do you mean saying stuff?"

Shell turned a slight pink before answering, "Well your teasing had made me spill more secret thoughts than even my mind would like to admit."

Clam laughed, "So what, are we even now or something?"

She winked, "Yes."

The two made their way to the train station, the same one that Clam used. On their way, they passed by small humble shops, ran by the everyday soul that walks the same streets. It boggles some minds that a society that is so different, with sizes and abilities so obscure and unrelated, could stand on its own differences. However, the ability to do such simple things like create a fork for both Jellyfish and Inkling might see impossible, however, generations before Clam and Shell had already solved these problems. For the past few generations, those who were born did not even wonder how such problems were fixed. Engineering also leaked from the past and into the present. Such small shops have door knobs lowered to ensure that Jellyfish do not have to extend too far to reach the door. Lights were made to cover more horizontal area, so that an Inkling cannot block the light that a Jellyfish might need. Moreover, some newer signs and windows have technologies to ensure that every viewing angle to the screen or board can still project the same picture and color.

"So where are your parents," Shell asked, as they pass the last store, entering the community center.

"Home, however, I'm like every other Inkling," Clam answered, "once they can morph between the two with a blink, then leaving the house is an enticing option."

"I did the same thing," Shell responded.

As the train station became visible, Shell and Clam began making their way at a much quicker pace. The crowds of the streets became denser and thicker. Pockets of friends appear every other pace, as the afternoon slowly comes. Some Inkling, Octoling, and other creatures go to lunch early to avoid the other busy hours.

"Isn't it funny," Shell started.

Clam turned to the right to Shell, "Whadya mean?"

Shell shrugged, "Well, people go to lunch early to avoid the busy hours. Only then to make a busy crowd..."

He opened his mouth, however he thought about it, and the irony blew his mind, "Yeah holy carp that's weird..."

She chuckled and smiled before pulling out her squidphone to check the time, "We should be in the square in no time here."

"Before the afternoon or during," Clam asked with genuine curiosity.

Shell took a wild guess, "Probably during the afternoon."

"Sorry to ask this in a less than a pleasant way," Clam started, "but, do you have other friends...?"

"Not really," Shell answered bluntly, "like I have contacts and all, but no one to hang out with outside of the Battle Lobby. You're my first real friend I guess."

Clam's face fell concerned, "Oh, is that right?"

Shell shrugged, "Yeah, but hey, quality over quantity."

As the two finally stepped foot onto the open aired train station, Clam began blushing as he thought about Shell's innocent comment. He begins to second think about everything he had knew about Shell. Now he is unable to guess if Shell actually wants to start a relationship or not. However, right now the answer does not matter, he echoed Shell. He doesn't have anyone other than Shell, he needs to keep her.

Finally, the two arrive at Inkopolis Square. With the square alive, the two plan to enter games right away instead of eating first.

"Well, Clam, what are we waiting for," Shell started as she pulled him to the Battle Lobby.

As the door opened, Shell pulled Clam till he was in front of her, then she proceeded to push him in.

"May I ask why I was needed to be pushed?" Clam calmly asks.

"Just to make sure you actually get in," Shell answered as she registered both of them for Turf War.

"Do you really not trust me that much?" Clam asked.

"I do, but I have to make sure," Shell answers after their names are under search, "besides, I need you around, can't have you leaving!"

"Why do you talk like you can read my mind," Clam thought to himself while still looking at Shell.

"Am I reading your mind?" Shell asked in a slightly elusive way.

Clam's face flushed white, "Huh?"

"Knew you were thinking that," Shell giggled before their search for other players comes to a close.

As they entered the theme park for a game, Clam had an idea to test Shell, for some odd reason.

"Bet you that you can't make me happy and unmotivated at the same time," Clam bet while the countdown started.

Shell stepped on her toes and pecks Clam's cheeks with her lips, "What do I get?"

Then the sound rang, with Shell charging forward with her Splat Roller immediately after. Clam was left dumbfounded, however, he knew he might be disqualified in the game and pulled himself through the game. However, he cannot stop thinking about Shell kissing him and kissing him without a heartbeat in between.

The game was one of new experiences, even Clam himself learned how to sub cancel, dodging many specials he inevitably faced. However, he began to think why every thirty seconds brought him to a fight with a special. Even worse, his mind couldn't escape Shell's peck. To place his performance under a nice banner, Shell described Clam's performance as "Not there"

As the game ended, Clam was placed on third while Shell inked more than enough to compensate for Clam's underwhelming inkage.

"Wow our names make Clamshe-" Clam spoke before being interrupted.

"Did we talk about this or not," Shell asked, confused on whether the joke had been made or not.

"Let's just say we just found out about Clam shell," Clam responded before the Battle Lobby doors open.

Clam and Shell made their way outside, with Shell still intrigued about the bet, "So what do I get there Mr. Clam."

"I don't know," Clam answered, legitimately not knowing what to give her.

"Anyways though you really need to learn how to not roll towards the Squid that's trying to splat you!" Shell complained.

Clam turned to Shell and squinted his eyes in a playful way, "Thanks Ms. Nerd."

"You're my dork," Shell added, "I'm your nerd."

Clam smirked before exhaling, "Not bad, I like it."

"Clam shell," Shell whispered to herself, "if anyone were to want us to be a couple, that would be our name."

He took the opportunity to ask, "Do you want us to be together?"

"Uhhhh sure," Shell answered, not knowing the context of the question.

Clam's eyes widened and placed his hands in a defensive way, "Wait uh..."


End file.
